


Almost Maybes

by SmolBeanDrabbles



Category: The Outsider (TV 2020), The Outsider - Stephen King
Genre: Basically based on the book, F/M, Fluff, More swearing in the lyrics than the story, SO many book references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27164953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmolBeanDrabbles/pseuds/SmolBeanDrabbles
Summary: Ralph reminisces on everything that has led to him being right here, right now...
Relationships: Ralph Anderson/Jeannie Anderson, Ralph/Jeannie
Kudos: 1





	Almost Maybes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mandy23b](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mandy23b/gifts).



> Written for mandy23b's birthday! Happy Birthday Amanda! (I know it's late here, but I got it to you on Tumblr on time!)
> 
> Lyrics: Almost Maybes by Jordan Davis
> 
> Forewarning to anyone who has only seen the show, this entire fic is full of references to the book.

_I had one saying we were done  
In a Baton Rouge college bar  
It kinda came out of nowhere  
Man, I took that one pretty hard  
And I had another one in another town  
And I spent a whole lot of nights missing her  
'Til it all went black, she stopped texting back  
And I finally got the picture  
  
So here's to the almost, so close  
It's over out of the blues  
Here's to the "hey, I think we need to talk"  
And the "it ain't me, it's you"  
Here's to the tears and beers and wasted years  
On the weeds that looked like daisies  
I wouldn't be sitting here next to you  
If it weren't for the almost maybes  
  
Here's to the one that my family thought  
Was gonna make me drop to one knee  
And I tried like hell, but I couldn't help  
My mama loved her more than me  
And to all those July crushes  
Turning into September leavin's  
Goodbyes that didn't feel good back then  
It happened for a real good reason  
  
Wouldn't be no all alones  
Wouldn't be no sad songs  
Wouldn't be no had enough  
Pick yourself up and get to moving ons  
From the didn't work outs  
The girls next door and the bat shit crazies  
There wouldn't be no you and me right now  
If it weren't for the almost maybes  
  
No, it wouldn't be no you and me right now  
If it weren't for the almost maybes_

\---  
  


It was a fairly quiet day in the Anderson household – which all three of them could be glad of. Derek had been to Summer camp again this year and, having only been back a few weeks, Ralph was trying to encourage ample family time. Today, though, he’d let his son off and let him sleep in until 12pm (probably).  
  
Ralph was sitting out in the backyard, staring out across the grass even though he wasn’t really looking at anything. Instead, and probably why he was letting Derek sleep in, Ralph was doing some reminiscing. It wasn’t often he thought about his life before his family; probably because there wasn’t much to think about. Nothing particularly worth highlighting: he and his brother had drifted apart and only shared the occasional holiday or birthday card. There wasn’t really anything of note in his career either, sure he had plenty of horrifying stories from his early days at Flint City PD – but that was all overshadowed by the events of the previous summer. (And who in their right mind would want to reminisce any of that?!) The only good thing about last summer was meeting Holly.  
  
Instead Detective Anderson was reminiscing on how exactly he got to be _right here, right now._ How did he arrive at this moment in time, with the son he was allowing to sleep in… and Jeannie. Ralph wasn’t really one to go around proclaiming his love from the rooftops, but if he felt the need to ever get sappy… Well, there wasn’t any other words for it, she was the love of his life. Arguably the only love he’d ever really had.  
Which is what he was thinking on right now. Sure he’d had crushes, high school girlfriends, college girlfriends… summer romances and then the kinds of ‘love’ that lasted about as long as Spring Break. _Geez, that’s too long ago to want to think about!_  
But Jeannie was like none of those, there was no all-consuming passion or ever the belief of holding onto something and making it work _just because…_ Sure he’d had those _fast-heart-beat do-not-screw-this-one-up-Ralph! Your-life-depends-on-it!_ moments when he’d first met her. But Jeannie always made everything so easy; Ralph worked hard for her because he loved her, because he wanted to be impressive – not just good boyfriend material, but husband material… and then _father_ material. Now he could think back to 15 years ago when she’d come rushing to him to announce the result of her pregnancy test: as scary as the Outsider? Well it had been to him at the time.  
Jeannie was his best friend; she had been for 25 years. And to him, that was what really mattered. They had stuck together through everything: good and bad, the very toughest of times – and Ralph could also count a fair few of those.  
  
He laughed to himself, suddenly remembering some of the break ups. He and Jeannie had had many an argument and disagreement but they’d never fought; not in the way that had ever had him thinking they wouldn’t make it. Ralph fretted more that they wouldn’t make it because he wasn’t good enough for her; worried over that one for years, even when they’d first got married. He’d probably never been more nervous than asking her father for his blessing… then more terrified that she’d simply say no.  
But some of the _other_ break ups. Sometimes the arguments were just plain funny to think back on – even if they hadn’t been at the time. Ralph had taken plenty of rejections pretty hard, that when he examined them in hindsight revealed he’d probably dodged bullets. Oh, he’d done his fair share of breaking up with people – some had even been pretty amicable! – but there was some bad mixed in too, one so awkward that Ralph hadn’t even been able to tell her he was breaking up with her because she wouldn’t stop crying. _Yeah, probably best not to reflect on that one…  
_  
It took a little time for him to realise she’d been calling him.  
“-Honey, are you alright!?”  
“Oh!” He smiled instantly, “Yeah, sorry, I-” She shook her head at him gently, there was no need for an explanation, Jeannie already knew.  
“Would you like coffee?”  
He nodded, “That would be great!”  
“White and sweet?”  
_“Like me!”_ Ralph beamed, stealing Jeannie’s favourite phrase – it’s what she always said. He at least raised a laugh from her as she headed back inside and he watched her go, still beaming.  
That immediately set his mind to good things, for they had shared many more of those. In fact, Ralph wasn’t the only one with previous horror story relationships. He and Jeannie had had many a giggle together about some of her own. When he was a little younger Ralph used to joke about arresting anyone who had formerly broken her heart – if he were honest with himself, he’d probably still do it.  
  
She joined him then, placing his coffee down on the garden table she sat beside him, hands around her own. Jeannie sighed contentedly as she took her first sip – comfortable in the silence and Ralph’s presence as they observed their garden together.  
“So, what’s on your mind today, Mr. Anderson?”  
“Oh…” He shifted with a shrug, “Nothing exciting, previous relationships. Everything that lead to me being here.”  
She looked across to him with a raised eyebrow, almost choking on her next sip, “Lord, that seems a little deep for a Sunday morning!”  
“I can be deep, sometimes!”  
She laughed at that, the way Ralph folded his arms but couldn’t keep that scowl up. Eventually instead he held his hand out for hers, and Jeannie was only too glad to slip her hand into his. Ralph squeezed hers gently,  
“I love you, you know that?”  
“Hmm, occasionally.” She couldn’t help her tease, taking another sip, “What’s gotten into you?”  
He sighed, “I dunno… I just…”  
“You know that Derek isn’t going to rise until early afternoon too, right?” It was past time for Ralph to drag him out of bed, anyway.  
“Well that’s part of it.”  
“What is?” Jeannie tipped her head gently at the way her husband was chewing the inside of his mouth.  
“Spending time together… Y’know? He’ll be heading to college before we know it and I just don’t want to miss-”  
“Ralph, Ralph!” She calmed him, “Sweetie, we have years yet, first you think too much on the past and then too much on the future! Don’t you give that brain of yours a rest?”  
She knew the answer, but Ralph shook his head anyway, “Can’t.”  
Her voice was soft, and she placed her mug down to gather his hand between both of hers, “You can.”  
“Okay, but… I was thinking about you too, you know?”  
There was suddenly that smile he loved so much upon her face, “Of course I do.” And his face lit up too, “I know exactly what you’re thinking, Ralph, I know you.”  
“Better than anyone.” He agreed, “Sometimes it’s scary.”  
Jeannie laughed again, “Well I figure sometimes I gotta be scary, or nothing would get done.”  
“ _Eh_.” Although he wouldn’t quite disagree, “…I’d rather you be scary than some of our exes!”  
This time her laugh was infectious and he couldn’t help but chuckle as she placed a hand to her temple, “Oh, please! NO! Ralph-! I haven’t had to think about ex loves in 25 years, I shouldn’t like to start now!”  
“I just got thinking, if it wasn’t for all these people before you and everything I learned, I don’t think I’d ever be with you.” He’d screwed up before, more times than he’d probably care to admit, but Ralph couldn’t ever have afforded to with Jeannie. _You know when you know;_ and Ralph had, almost immediately.  
Jeannie wasn’t about to let him take all the ‘credit’; “I messed up a bunch of times too.” She was as glad for it as he was, and despite her words, she knew he was right. Without all that, she wouldn’t be here holding his hand and wishing that Derek would wake up a little earlier without being forced to.  
“It was only ever really you.”  
She nearly blushed, “It was only ever really you, too.”  
“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow with a cocky grin, “That good, am I?”  
Jeannie shook her head, leaning across the table, Ralph leant in too, to accept her kiss. As sweet as their very first, and just as unforgettable as every kiss she’d ever given him. He chased her; one kiss wouldn’t be enough this morning. She had no complaints, he tasted just like the sugar in his coffee.  
That only had Jeannie laughing again, “You’ll do!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
